Fastener-holding socket wrench



April 14, 1953 c. L. yl-loDGEs FAsTENER-HQLDING SOCKET WRENCH l Filed Feb, 20. 1950 CharZesL. Hodges INVENTOR Patented Apr. 14, 1953 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 1 claim. 1

The present invention relates to socket wrenches, and aims to provide a novel and improved device of this character, which, while capable of performing the usual functions of a tool of this type, embodies the feature of securely engaging and rigidly holding fastening elements during attachment or detachment of assembled parts and during transmittal of said fastening elements to and from the locations of attachment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a socket wrench in accordance with the preceding object, which is f a relatively long length for reaching into deep, narrow spaces, and which is manually operated from the hand-engaging end thereof to control the gripping or releasing of fastening elements to or from its spaced opposite end.

A further object of the invention is t0 provide a socket wrench in conformity with the abovementioned objects, wherein jaws with angled faces thereon for engaging like angled faces of fastening elements are actuated to opened and closed positions; and when in closed position on a fastening element of proper size and shape, the faces of said jaws are in surface engagement with the faces of said fastening element throughout all their angled faces, and the jaws are reinforced throughout the entire area thereof contacting the fastening element.

It is also an object of the invention to pro vide a socket wrench as set forth in the preceding objects which is simple and substantial in construction, which can be manufactured economically, and which will be thoroughly eiiicient and practical in use.

These, together with various auxiliary features and objects of the invention which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved socket wrench, showing a metal screw clamped thereto;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary, longitudinal view, portions being broken away, showing the parts in closed position on the hexagon head of a screw;

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2 with the parts in an open position;

Figure 4 is an end View with the parts in closed position, as shown in Figure 2, but without a fastening element therein; and

Figure 5 is also an end view with the parts in the opened position, as shown in Figure 3.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals designate similar parts through the various views, the numeral IB indicates a handle provided with knurling II on its outer cylindrical surface for obtaining a secure grip thereon. The handle also has arranged centrally thereof and extending inwardly from one end IDEL thereof, a cylindrical recess I2 with a reduced aligned opening I3 extending still further into same.

A shank I4 has a splined end I5 thereof forced into the reduced opening I3 of the handle I0 for securely attaching the shank to the handle, while a rotatable collar I6 with an offset hub II to one side thereof projecting into the recess I2 is threaded, as at I8, on the shank I4 for movement endwise of said shank to a position against the end Iiia of the handle or to a position spaced therefrom upon rotation of the collar on the shank. The threads I8 of the shank are of greater diameter than the splined end I5, and abut the end of the recess I2 to form a stop to determine the length of the shank to extend beyond the handle when forcing said shank into said handle. The collar I6 is also knurled to provide fcr thumb and finger engagement to rotate same While holding the handle stationary, and has the side thereof opposite the hub Il recessed, as at I9, for receiving and centrally supporting one end of a relatively long sleeve 20 spaced from and arranged about the portion of the shank that projects beyond the collar I6.

Closely tted for endwise movement within the sleeve 20 and attached to the end of the shank Ill opposite to that secured to the handle is one end of a tubular chuck member 2l, said attachment being accomplished by reducing the diameter of the end of the shank, as at 22, sliding the end of the tubular chuck member on said reduced end, and inserting a pin 23 through aligned holes in said reduced end and tubular chuck member prior to assembling the sleeve 20 thereabout. It thus will be noted that the collar I6 supports one end of the sleeve 20 in spaced relation from and concentric about the shank I4 while the tubular chuck member performs the same function at the opposite ends of said sleeve and shank.

A short distance from the free open ends of the sleeve 2@ and tubular chuck member 2|, both start to flare and continue to do so to their extremities, as shown at 24 and 25 respectively, said sleeve being flared approximately ten degrees from its center line, while the tubular chuck member is flared at a slightly greater amount of degrees on its outer surface. Inaddition to being flared, the tubular chuck member has a hexagon or any other desired shaped broaoh forced into its flared open end to form the faces 26 and upset shoulder 27, and is then slit inwardly from the flared end throughout the major portion of its length, as at 2S, to provide a number of jaws 2S, four being shown for the purpose of illustration.

The shoulder 2l which is a stop for controlling the depth of insertion of fastening elements into the jaws 29 is located a distance from the ends of said jaws equal to or slightly less than the height of faces of said fastening elements so that the ends of said jaws will not interfere with other parts during attaching or detaching of the fastening elements. Should the central opening through the shoulder 21 be decreased by the upsetting of metal to a size where there is interference with the threaded end of a bolt extending therethrough when a nut on the bolt is engaged by the liaws, it will be necessary to enlarge said central opening.

Attention is now directed to the angles of the faces 25 forming a hexagon that engage the hexagon faces of a bolt, screw, or nut when the chuck jaws 29 are in a closed position as shown in Figures 2 and 4 and when in an open position as shown in Figures 3 and 5. By having the angle of the outer surfaces of the jaws, which was produced by flaring, of a greater degree than the angle on the annular inner surface of the flared ends 2li of the sleeve and the angles of the faces 25 on the jaws with respect to the center line of the tool diverging slightly from each other when the jaws are in an open position, said jaws will be sprung slightly inward towards each other by said differences of aring angles to align all faces 26 parallel to the center line of the tool when the jaws are in a closed position on a properly sized and shaped fastening element; thus, surface contact of said jaws throughout the entire faces of the fastening elements, as well as coplanar engagement of the flared end of the sleeve with the flared ends of the jaws for surface contact, will be had.

It is to be understood that a different tool will be required for each size and shape of fastening element to be used, and that it is not a feature of this tool to provide for adjustments to grip and hold fastening elements of various sizes. Therefore, by having but one open and one closed position to which the jaws are moved when unclamped from or clamped upon a. fastening element, and that movement being of but slight variation of size, it will not be possible to insert oversized fastening elements into the jaws, and by having said closed position such that the ends of the iaws are ush with the ends of the flared portion 24 of the sleeve, as illustrated in Figure 2, said flared portion of the sleeve will support the jaws throughout the entire area thereof in surface contact with the faces of the fastening element. This is essential when considering that the jaws are of small cross section and are hardened after the formation thereof to prevent distortion when in service.

Rotation of the collar i6, while holding the handle Ill, threads said collar endwise of the shank of I to either force the sleeve axially in an outward direction or to relieve endwise pressure on said sleeve. When the sleeve 2i) is forced outward, the spring jaws 28 of the tubular chuck 4 member 2l will be forced towards one another by the flared end 26 of the sleeve sliding over the ared ends of said jaws, while relieving of pressure on the end of the sleeve permits retraction` of said sleeve and withdrawal of the flared end 24 thereof from over the extremities of the spring jaws to release the spring jaws and permit them to resume their natural positions.

i/Vhen using the improved socket wrench in the assembling of parts where it is diiiicult to reach and support fastening elements at the locations of attachment, the handle lil is supported in the palm of the hand while the forefinger and thumb rotate the collar I6 first in a direction to engage the collar iii with the end lila of the handle to open the jaws and then in the opposite direction to close the jaws 29 on the at faces of the fastening element held in the other hand which rigidly holds the fastening element in but one position, that being in alignment with the center line of the tool. Then, making use of the relatively long length of the tool by reaching therewith to the location of attachment, the fastening element will be supported and rotated during turning movement of the handle to thread said fastener in place, or the fastening element may merely be held in place at the location of attachment during the threading of another part of the fastening element thereto. After the fastening element is securely attached in place, the collar i5 is then turned with respect to the handle to open position to release the grip of the jaws on the fastening element.

When using the improved tool to unthread a fastening element at a location dificult to reach, the jaws in open position are placed over the fastening element and closed thereon by rotating the collar le while holding the handle stationary. Upon securing a firm grip on the fastening element, the handle of the tool is then rotated to unthread the fastening element, or is merely held to hold the fastening element against turning while another part of the fastening element is unthreaded therefrom, When the fastening element held by the jaws has been loosened at its place of attachment, it can be removed without danger of being dropped, as rotation of the collar I6 is required to release the grip of the jaws on the fastening element.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operation, and advantages of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and full intendment of the invention.

What is claimed is:

A socket wrench comprising a handle, a shank fixed at one of its ends to said handle and provided with a reduced extension at its other end, a tubular chuck member received on said reduced. extension of said shank and projecting beyond the end of said shank, said extension and tubular chuck member having transversely aligned holes therein, a pin in said aligned holes, yieldable, split jaws on the end of said tubular chuck member opposite to that attached to said reduced extension, said jaws having article-engaging surfaces interiorly thereof and camming surfaces exteriorly thereof, said camming surfaces diverging UMAL..

5 as they extend to the free end of the jaws, a collar threaded on said shank adjacent said handle and having a cylindrical recess therein concentric to said shank, a sleeve movable axially on said shank and having one end extending into said recess and abutting said collar, said sleeve being supported concentric to said shank and tubular chuck member by engagement with the exterior cylindrical surface of said tubular chuck member and the interior cylindrical surface of the recess in said collar, said sleeve retaining said pin in the holes in the extension and tubular chuck member by engaging the opposite ends thereof, and a flared end on said Sleeve engaging the diverging camming surfaces of said 15 jaws for springing said jaws towards one another upon axial, outward movement of said sleeve by rotation of said collar.

CHARLES L. HODGES.

Number Name Date 493,815 Bingham Mar. 21, 1893 1,400,256 Beaty Dec. 13, 1921 1,615,201 Stowe et a1 Jan. 18, 1927 2,434,600 Swenson Jan. 13, 1948 2,561,407 Palmer July 24, 1951 2,579,438 `Longfellow Dec. 18, 1951 

